There is no system, no safety net to catch the kids in this country. If you have no one, you go to the street where you will without a doubt be raped, beaten, and exploited. And even if you have a family, and you get sexually assaulted, they put you out on the streets in anger for bringing shame upon them. And your perpetrator? He got away, and he paid off the judge. Not to mention you’re a girl, so how can they trust you anyway? Maybe it was your own father who assaulted you, without him, you can't get a passport or your citizenship! Tough luck. Maybe in your next life.
Then Raksha Nepal saves you and gives you a home, and a purpose, and a dream, and a place to belong in a big family. You are now eating more than you ever have, surrounded by people who genuinely love you and celebrate your greatness. However Raksha, like any NGO needs funds. And when you have 50 children, those funds dissolve quickly.
He looked at me and asked, “You think this is worth it? You think your just pouring your money and other people’s money down the drain?”
I was so lit for a second, and then composed myself and explained:
The money disappears quick, I understand and am very aware. Someone just donated $350 today, and guess what tomorrow I’m going to spend $260 on groceries to feed 50+kids! including staff and volunteers! which is a weekly expense. We had to do en entire fundraiser just to be able to buy 1 single solitary piece of fruit per day for a year!
Lets not talk about the fact they constantly need cloths, and shoes, and underwear, and bras as the girls get older. Disregard the female hygiene pads, the sanitation and cleaning materials. Oh and the $4000/month house payment that we NEVER know how we are going to pay it, yet the good God above apparently loves these kids too. Don't forget the thousands of dollars it takes to run an organization that rehabilitates rape victims who are children starting at the age of 4! All the medical and psychological rehabilitation.
Is it worth it you ask? Oh I do believe so. Because you don’t realize that if Raksha goes, they all go right back to where they came from. NO ONE is there to catch them. THERE IS NO SYSTEM HERE to save them from injustice. This country is changing and if you invest in Raksha you invest in change, because Raksha is the leader. Raksha will be the MLK of Nepal. Raksha will be part of the reason that women and girls have rights and are protected against sexual violence. Raksha will be part of the reason women aren’t second class citizens in this nation.
The money will continue to dissolve, yes, just like it does investing in your own children. But those children will go on to change this world for the better because you cared.
So I do believe it is worth every dime good sir. Because more than anything in this life, I want to see each and every one of these children attain exactly what they aim for. Be it a model, a lawyer, a business woman, a banker, working in tourism, or a national Tae Kwondo athlete.
Because I know, as well as you do, that it is the children who will fix and heal the sins and wrongs of our society, if we
invest in them to do so.
After that, he told me he wanted to donate $1000 of his own money.
God Bless Him
I wish this happened a heck of a lot more often.
Learn more about the work Raksha is doing at:
http://www.rakshanepal.org
Instagram: @raksha.nepal
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